Game Bank

Boarding House Reach

Goals: to practice listening comprehension; to practice sound discrimination; to reinforce vocabulary

1. Explain that traditionally in an American boarding house, the landlord or landlady prepared dinner for the tenants. The tenants ate at a common dinner table. The tenant with the quickest and longest reach usually got the best and the most food.
 
2. Place pictures of food, or cards with names of food, on a table. The names of the foods should begin with differing initial sounds, including some minimal pairs. Give each student a lunch bag.
 
3. Position the students around the table. Read the list of initial sounds. As each sound is read, the students should try to grab the food whose name begins with the sound. The first student to grab it can put the food in his or her 'lunch bag.'
 
For example:

The teacher says, 'br... br... br...'

A student grabs the picture of bread.

The teacher says, 'p... p... p...'

A student grabs the picture of potatoes.

4. At the end of the game, ask the students to tell what they're having for lunch or dinner. Ask those students who failed to grab any food what they would like to eat.
 

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